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Gee may have answer to recent struggles

Gee may have answer to recent struggles

Dillon Gee 480/96

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PHOENIX -- Not long after the D-backs put the finishing touches on Friday evening's victory over the Mets, Dillon Gee sat alone in the visiting clubhouse watching video of his start. Gee skimmed over the bad parts, not wanting to harp on the negatives. He paid extra attention to his final three innings, in which he thrived.

"I've lost confidence the last couple weeks," Gee said. "And I've got to gain it back."

That process involves comparing his mechanics now to his form over his first 13 appearances, in which he was 7-0 with a 2.86 ERA. Though there is still plenty of time for Gee to finish this season on a successful note, he must first figure out what he is doing wrong.

Watching video following his start, Gee feels he may have touched on something significant. A mechanical inconsistency had been causing his shoulder to fly open, affecting the command of his two-seam fastball. By the middle innings, that inconsistency had disappeared, resulting in better command and better results.

"Sometimes, the way I see things is a lot different than it really looks in real life," Gee said. "As a pitcher, you throw a lot of pitches that you think are right there. Then, when you look on video, they weren't."

Over the past few weeks, Gee has been watching more video than usual, replaying many of his strong starts from May and early June. The goal, of course, is to solidify his standing as a lock for the rotation heading into next season.

"The easiest thing to do is sit here and beat yourself up," Gee said. "Everybody goes through struggles. It's the people that can come out of it that succeed."